Since it has come to our
knowledge that in the region of Armenia they offer wine only on the
Holy Table, those who celebrate the unbloody sacrifice not mixing water
with it, adducing, as authority thereof, John Chrysostom, a doctor of
the Church, who says in his interpretation of the Gospel according to
St. Matthew:

“And wherefore did he not drink water after he was
risen again, but wine? To pluck up by the roots another wicked
heresy. For since there are certain who use water in the
Mysteries to shew that both when he delivered the mysteries he had
given wine and that when he had risen and was setting before them a
mere meal without mys380teries, he
used wine, ‘of the fruit,’ saith he, ‘of the
vine.’ But a vine produces wine, not water.”369369 Chrysos. In
Matt. XXVI. 29—I have taken the Oxford translation,
“Library of the Fathers.” And from this they think the doctor
overthrows the admixture of water in the holy sacrifice. Now,
lest on the point from this time forward they be held in ignorance, we
open out the orthodox opinion of the Father. For since there was
an ancient and wicked heresy of the Hydroparastatæ (i.e., of those
who offered water), who instead of wine used water in their sacrifice,
this divine, confuting the detestable teaching of such a heresy, and
showing that it is directly opposed to Apostolic tradition, asserted
that which has just been quoted. For to his own church, where the
pastoral administration had been given him, he ordered that water mixed
with wine should be used at the unbloody sacrifice, so as to shew forth
the mingling of the blood and water which for the life of the whole
world and for the redemption of its sins, was poured forth from the
precious side of Christ our Redeemer; and moreover in every church
where spiritual light has shined this divinely given order is
observed.

For also James, the brother, according to the flesh, of
Christ our God, to whom the throne of the church of Jerusalem first was
entrusted, and Basil, the Archbishop of the Church of Cæsarea,
whose glory has spread through all the world, when they delivered to us
directions for the mystical sacrifice in writing, declared that the
holy chalice is consecrated in the Divine Liturgy with water and
wine. And the holy Fathers who assembled at Carthage provided in
these express terms: “That in the holy Mysteries nothing
besides the body and blood of the Lord be offered, as the Lord himself
laid down, that is bread and wine mixed with water.”
Therefore if any bishop or presbyter shall not perform the holy action
according to what has been handed down by the Apostles, and shall not
offer the sacrifice with wine mixed with water, let him be deposed, as
imperfectly shewing forth the mystery and innovating on the things
which have been handed down.

Notes.

Ancient Epitome of Canon
XXXII.

Chrysostom, when overthrowing the heresy of the
Hydroparastatæ, says: “When the Lord suffered and rose
again he used wine.” The Armenians, laying hold on this,
offer wine alone, not understanding that Chrysostom himself, and Basil,
and James used wine mixed with water; and left the tradition that we
should so make the offering. If, therefore, any one shall offer
wine alone, or water alone, and not the mixed [chalice] let him be
deposed.

Van Espen.

Justin Martyr in his Second Apology, Ambrose, or whoever
was the author of the books on the Sacraments (Lib. v., cap. i.),
Augustine and many others make mention of this rite, and above all St.
Cyprian, who wrote a long epistle on the subject to Cecilius, and
seeking the reason of the ceremony as a setting forth of the union of
the people, represented by the water, with Christ, figured by the
wine.

Another signification of this rite St. Augustine
indicates in his sermon to Neophytes, saying: “Take this in
bread, which hung upon the Cross: Take this in the cup which
poured forth from the side,” that is to say blood and water.

Cardinal Bona (De Rebus Liturgicis, Lib. II.,
cap. ix., n. 3 and 4) refers to many ancient rituals in which a similar
prayer is used to that found in the Ambrosian rite, which says as the
water is poured in: “Out of the side of Christ there flowed
forth blood and water together. In the name of the Father,
etc.” Bona further notes that “The Greeks twice
mingle water with the wine, once cold water, when in the prothesis they
are preparing the Holy Gifts, and the Priest pierces the bread with the
holy spear, and says, “One of the soldiers with a lance opened
his side, and immediately there flowed forth blood and water,”
and the deacon pours in wine and water. From this it is evident
that the Greeks agree with St. Augustine’s explanation.

For the second time the Greeks mix “hot water
after consecration and immediately before communion, the deacon begging
from the priest a blessing upon the warm water; and he blesses it in
these words: ‘Blessed be the fervour of thy Saints, now and
ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.’ Then the deacon
pours the water into the chalice, saying: ‘The fervour of
faith, full of the Holy Spirit.’” So Cardinal Bona as
above.

The third reason of this rite is assumed by some from
the fact that Christ is believed thus to have instituted this sacrament
at the 381last supper; and this the
synod seems to intimate in the present canon when it says “as the
Lord himself delivered.”

In this case the Greeks suppose that this rite was also
handed down by the Apostles, and this is evident from their citing the
Liturgy of St. James, which they believed to be a genuine work of
his.

369 Chrysos. In
Matt. XXVI. 29—I have taken the Oxford translation,
“Library of the Fathers.”